The international delegation, headed by Ana Lucía Bueno, ICRC Public Health Coordinator, and Sujit Panda, Head of the Physical Rehabilitation…
At a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, comprehensive energy resilience plans for the country’s regions and cities were approved.
This was reported by the Office of the President on March 3.
According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, the experience of this winter will form the basis for further decisions: renewal of infrastructure protection, logistics, key energy facilities, restoration of sites after Russian strikes, and ensuring additional energy capabilities.
During the meeting, representatives of all regions and major cities delivered reports. The NSDC approved resilience plans for each Ukrainian region and regional center except Kyiv. The capital was given additional time to prepare the relevant substantive documents.
“Today, Kyiv was not ready — just as it was not ready for this winter. It must have time to prepare for the next one and fulfill every task. Every city, every Ukrainian community must be prepared for any scenario next winter and to provide real support to the people. The Government of Ukraine, particularly the Ministry of Defense and the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, received the necessary tasks and will help the regions prepare”, — the President emphasized.
NSDC Secretary Rustem Umerov noted that the regional resilience plans include clear instructions for the Cabinet of Ministers and the relevant ministries.
“There must be a clear algorithm: who is responsible, within what time frame, with what resources, and how the implementation is monitored. The NSDC ensures coordination at the state level — meaning regular monitoring. The plans must work in practice. And our task is to ensure that no winter becomes an instrument of pressure on Ukraine”, — Umerov stated.
Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko said that the government will provide protection from UAVs and missiles for major electricity transit, gas extraction, and gas storage facilities. Regions must ensure proper protection of substations, pumping stations, cogeneration facilities, modular boiler houses, and new infrastructure.
“It is important that every city leader, every regional leader, and we as the government bear full personal responsibility for preparing regions and cities for the next heating season. And for fulfilling, failing to fulfill, or untimely fulfilling tasks, we must bear that responsibility”, — Svyrydenko emphasized.
First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Denys Shmyhal said that the main focus is on restoring the main generation equipment destroyed by the Russians, strengthening the protection of critical infrastructure, creating a reserve of essential equipment, and increasing gas reserves.
“Active work is already underway in all these areas. Regarding the preparation of equipment reserves, we are working with partners to have a threefold stock. Regarding distributed generation, relevant tasks have been assigned to state companies, local administrations, and communities.
At the next ‘Energy Ramstein’ we also plan to discuss attracting over 5 billion euros to prepare Ukraine for the next heating season”, — Shmyhal stated.
Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration and Minister for Communities and Territories Development Oleksii Kuleba noted that the plan approved by the NSDC was developed together with local communities and aims to accelerate change.
“The decision made will have enormous significance for many years ahead. The tasks set today are to do everything possible so that settlements decentralize their water and heat supply systems and become as resilient and adapted to enemy attacks as possible”, — Kuleba summarized.
